Climate change could swamp NASA space centers

A report released this morning from the Union of Concerned Scientists says NASA may face an unexpected threat from climate change: underwater launch pads. The report identifies eight different facilities at risk from rising sea levels in coming decades, including several that have already faced extreme conditions. Space centers in Mississippi and Louisiana sustained more than $ 750 million in damage from Hurricane Katrina, and the Johnson Space center in Texas sustained comparable damage from Hurricane Ike. Storm surges regularly breach the dunes at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, leading to concerns about how the historic site will stand up to more volatile weather in the future.